Search

Increased human activities in China's coastal zone have resulted in the depletion of ecological land resources. Thus, conducting current and future multi-scenario simulation research on land use and land cover change (LUCC) is crucial for guiding the healthy and sustainable development of coastal zones. System dynamic (SD)-future land use simulation (FLUS) model, a coupled simulation model, was developed to analyze land use dynamics in China's coastal zone. This model encompasses five scenarios, namely, SSP1-RCP2.6 (A), SSP2-RCP4.5 (B), SSP3-RCP4.5 (C), SSP4-RCP4.5 (D), and SSP5-RCP8.5 (E). The SD model simulates land use demand on an annual basis up to the year 2100. Subsequently, the FLUS model determines the spatial distribution of land use for the near term (2035), medium term (2050), and long term (2100). Results reveal a slowing trend in land use changes in China's coastal zone from 2000–2020. Among these changes, the expansion rate of construction land was the highest and exhibited an annual decrease. By 2100, land use predictions exhibit high accuracy, and notable differences are observed in trends across scenarios. In summary, the expansion of production, living, and ecological spaces toward the sea remains prominent. Scenario A emphasizes reduced land resource dependence, benefiting ecological land protection. Scenario B witnesses an intensified expansion of artificial wetlands. Scenario C sees substantial land needs for living and production, while Scenario D shows coastal forest and grassland shrinkage. Lastly, in Scenario E, the conflict between humans and land intensifies. This study presents pertinent recommendations for the future development, utilization, and management of coastal areas in China. The research contributes valuable scientific support for informed, long-term strategic decision making within coastal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine economy is a valuable pillar for the development of coastal areas. It is of profound significance to explore the influence of marine economy development on economic resilience of coastal areas. This paper constructs an economic resilience assessment framework based on resistance, adaptability, and evolutionary power, adopts the entropy method to calculate the economic resilience development level in China's coastal areas from 2006 to 2019, and examines in detail the driving factors affecting the economic resilience from the indicator level. Furthermore, panel regression models are used to explore the influence of marine economic development on the economic resilience of China's coastal areas and its mechanism of action. The results show that: (1) China's coastal areas have an overall trend of rising economic resilience. The spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of different economic resilience factors are significant. (2) Factors such as regional economic scale, innovation input, industrial transformation, resident income, consumption scale, degree of marketization, and financial scale are key factors to enhance the economic system resilience of coastal areas. (3) There is a significant positive impact of the marine economy on the economic resilience of coastal areas, and this promotion effect is regulated and constrained by the level of diversification of marine industries and the level of concentration of marine industries. (4) Heterogeneity analysis shows that there are significant individual differences in the impact of Marine economy on economic resilience, and its marginal effect first increases and then decreases. The corresponding policy implications are further analyzed based on the research results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishing ports are important fishery production platforms, and the transformation of these has had a profound impact on the fishing industry. A reasonable classification solution is crucial for scientific understanding, development, and management of fishing ports. Current research on the use of spatial distributional characterization and the construction of a classification system for fishing ports to improve their management is limited. Therefore, in this study, a fishing port classification system was constructed using remote sensing images, with fishing port boundaries accurately extracted for classification. Using graphical summarization, fishing ports were classified into five types, including inland, estuarine, shoreline, gulf, and islands. A port type identification system was also constructed based on distance from the shoreline, water area, and circulation. Finally, fishing port characteristics and differences were investigated based on spatial superposition. The results demonstrate that shoreline and gulf types are the most prevalent fishing port types along the Chinese coast, accounting for 43% and 26% of the total number of fishing ports, respectively. This provides a strong foundation for China's fishery production, processing, and trade. Through the establishment of a comprehensive scientific classification system, fishing port management can be modernized, supporting the sustainable development and utilization of coastal zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific and technological innovation and ecological progress are important forces for China's high-quality development. Nevertheless, the current body of research seldom explores the mutual dependence and evolutionary patterns of the two regional systems when considering both historical and future perspectives. This paper aims to enhance the current theoretical research framework by focusing on the coastal region of China. It analyzes and predicts the co-evolution and space–time distribution process of two systems by constructing a coupled model and a gray prediction model. The results show the following: (1) the coupling and coordinated development level of the two coastal systems has basically reached the stage of good coupling and coordinated development, and the level has increased, but the gap has gradually increased, and Jiangsu and Guangdong have reached the leading level; (2) the spatial distribution in coastal areas is uneven, showing a convex spatial pattern of "high in the middle and low at both ends"; (3) during the forecast period, the overall coupling and coordination level of the two systems will continue to improve, but individual cities still cannot jump out of the development state of slow development processes. With the aim of fostering the harmonious growth of both systems at both regional and national levels, this paper proposes practical recommendations concerning the establishment of a sustainable interaction mechanism, the evolution of the industrial structure towards ecological sustainability, and the economic contribution to scientific and technological innovation. Furthermore, this article serves as a valuable reference for advancing the sustainable development of other nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Remote Sensing is the property of Editorial Office of Journal of Remote Sensing & Science Publishing Co. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As the land-sea interface, the coastal zone has become an increasingly key lifesupport system. However, it is also highly threatened by exposure to both oceanand land-based human activities. The interdependencies of the land and sea systems require the integration of land and sea spatial planning to achieve sustainable development of coastal zones. There are different forms of land-sea spatial management integration globally. Whether a form can positively impact and how different institutional settings affect outcomes need further explanation. Therefore, this study explores the reasons for China's planning integration through institutional reform by using the Graph Model for Conflicts Resolution and establishes a quantitative contradiction assessment method to examine whether this top-down institutional approach has played a role at the urban level. The results show that the planning of Xiamen city after reform has a lower total contradiction value, grid cell average and cell maximum value. This progress is made possible by unifying the land-sea spatial planning departments. The equilibrium solution of the Graph Model for Conflicts Resolution indicates that due to the different preferences of the land-sea management departments and the central-local governments, it is challenging to implement the Land-sea Coordination policy under separate land-sea management. By integrating land-sea management departments, deep-seated sectoral interests between horizontal departments do not remain. The impacts on integrated management of divergences in preferences of different vertical governments can be reduced. The research results provide a universal method for the contradiction evaluation and a management reference for other regions that want to integrate land-sea coordination into urban spatial planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the spatiotemporal changes and patterns of a regional water environment based on the hydrological and water quality monitoring times and the geographical locations of the monitoring sections in the research area, the plain of Cixi, eastern China. Based on the calculation of runoff generation and concentration in the coastal plain river network and based on the characteristics and impact evaluation of the regional water pollution, the migration and diffusion mechanisms of surface water pollutants were studied for different sources and characteristics of pollutants entering the river in different river sections. The analytic results show that the water environment and water resource security of the coastal plain mainly cause the problem of eutrophication in the water bodies, and the input of nitrogen and phosphorus from land sources is the main cause of eutrophication in the water bodies, mainly including the production and discharge of domestic sewage, nutrient loss in aquaculture water bodies, affecting agricultural activities, etc. The evaluation also demonstrates that with the development of coastal zones and the rapid development of coastal towns, as the population in coastal plain areas continues to increase, industrial development and population growth are the main driving factors for water quality changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal scientists and engineers are constantly trying to quantify the ideal bay shape using mathematical formulas. Since the 1980s, a large number of achievements have been accomplished and various empirical models have been obtained. This article is based on the theory of equilibrium coastal development in the headland–bay and takes an artificial beach forming part of Rizhao Port's "Return to Sea" project in Northern China as an example to explore the selection of beach protection schemes. The influence of different forms of plan layout on the shape of the equilibrium shoreline is compared, and the scheme is further validated using physical model testing methods. The following results are obtained: (1) a suitable protection scheme and its corresponding beach equilibrium shoreline shape are recommended, (2) a reasonable maintenance cycle is proposed, and (3) after 27 months of implementation of the artificial beach, the monitored sediment loss is less than 10% of the total amount, meeting the design purpose. This confirms the effectiveness of the research results in artificial beach protection engineering and equilibrium shoreline design, achieving good economic, social, and ecological environmental benefits, and with broad prospects for promotion and application. The results can also provide reference and guidance for subsequent coastal engineering evaluation, improvement, and construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper responds to the contributions to the review symposium on How China Escaped Shock Therapy. I discuss the strategy of economic system reform that started from the non-essential parts of the industrial system in order to eventually transform the commanding heights; the spatial dimension of reform in relation to "dual circulation" and the coastal development strategy; the nature and meaning of Chinese gradualism; and China's price stabilization strategies of the 1980s in relation to later inflationary challenges. Finally, I reflect on the symposium as a dialogue between economic geography and a history of ideas in action that I pursued in my book. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal lagoons connecting the land and sea provide essential ecosystem services. However, emerging environmental issues such as environmental pollution and ecological degradation from rapid socio-economic development in coastal zones of south China are becoming increasingly prevalent. This study examined the spatiotemporal variation, sources, assessments, and driving forces of heavy metals based on core and surface sediments collected from Pinqing Lagoon, a coastal lagoon in South China. Sediment cores (PQ1, PQ2, and PQ3) showed distinct vertical variations in the content of Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, As, and Sb with an average coefficient of variation (C.V.) of 0.25. However, a relatively lower vertical variation (C.V. mean = 0.13) was shown by the other elements (Mn, V, Ni, Cr, and Co). Although Cu was the chief pollutant heavy metal and it had mean values of 1.6 and 1.7 for the enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF), respectively, Cd posed the highest ecological risk ( E r i   mean = 36.34). A century-scale anthropogenic disturbance and growing industrial activities in the lagoon area have caused heavy-metal pollution in Pinqing Lagoon. Wastewater discharge into the lagoon over the past 30 years has further aggravated the pollution. The land-use pattern changes in the catchment and removal of polluting industries resulted in a shift in the center of gravity of heavy-metal pollution in the surface sediment of the lagoon. When integrated with the available data, significant pollution gradients were observed suggesting that the pollution level of Pinqing Lagoon was slightly higher than the marginal sea (Honghai Bay) but significantly lower than the adjacent inland water bodies (Gongping and Chisha Reservoirs). This difference attributes unique hydrodynamic conditions to the Pinqing Lagoon, which consistently mitigates environmental pollution by lying at the interface between inland water and the coastal sea in South China. These conditions resulted in the relatively low contamination degree (CD mean = 7.5) and the low ecological risk index (RI mean = 70) over the past 150 years in Pinqing Lagoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vigorous emphasis has been placed on optimizing land spatial planning to protect carbon storage and enhance ecosystem resilience. What is the effectiveness of the Major Function-Oriented Zone (MFOZ) planning implemented to achieve this goal in China? Especially in urbanized areas where there are more pronounced conflicts between humans and land. Taking the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration as the target area, this study explored the response of carbon storage to land use/cover change (LUCC) and its vulnerability to ecological service functions under MFOZ planning. The 30 m × 30 m spatially resolved Landsat TM/ETM remote sensing images from 2000 to 2020 were used. The data preprocessing was performed mainly through radiometric calibration, clipping, and reclassification through the ArcGIS 10.7 software. Applying the InVEST model, which uses the LUCC map and carbon storage density of the four carbon pools, including above-ground carbon density, below-ground carbon density, dead organic carbon density, and soil organic carbon density, to evaluate the carbon storage under the current landscape or in the future, the results show that: (1) The BTH ecosystem experienced a carbon storage reduction of about 7.25 × 107 Mg from 2000 to 2020 due to the expansion of construction land, which crowded out cropland. Carbon storage in the BTH showed a high concentration in the "northeast-southwest" direction and a tiny distribution in the "middle-east" direction. (2) From 2015, the initial effects of the MFOZ planning were seen, with the ecological land in the Central Core Zone and Eastern Coastal Development Zone decreasing while the proportion of high-carbon storage areas in the Eastern Coastal Development Zone increasing. (3) Over the two decades, the land use intensity index improved by 4.65 overall, and vulnerability worsened from 2000 to 2015 and was alleviated from 2015 to 2020. This study will provide a scientific reference for optimizing urban spatial land use planning and promoting carbon sequestration in ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affected by natural factors and human activities, seawater intrusion has become a geo-environmental problem, significantly impacting human production and life. Seawater intrusion weakens coastal areas' geo-environmental carrying capacity, limiting industry and commerce development potential. On the other hand, it may provide convenient deep seawater resources for coastal aquaculture development. Therefore, how to quantitatively analyze seawater intrusion's process, scope, and influencing factors has become a hotspot for hydrogeological researchers. This study uses chemical sampling analysis, environmental isotope, fixed-point, and geophysical methods to monitor long-term seawater intrusion in the southern coastal plain of Laizhou Bay. According to the monitoring data, the chemical type of fresh groundwater changes from Ca·Mg-HCO3 to Na-HCO3·Cl, Na·Ca-HCO3·Cl from south to north, and the changing trend of brackish groundwater is from Mg·Na·Ca-HCO3, Mg·Ca-HCO3 to Na-Cl·HCO3, Na·Mg-Cl. Saline groundwater is mainly of the Na-Cl and Na·Mg-Cl type. Brine is of the Cl-Na type. The relationship between 18O, 2H, and Cl− shows that groundwater was affected by evaporation, dissolution, and mixing in the runoff process. The relationship between water level and TDS in monitoring wells at different locations and depths confirms the existence of seasonal variations and layered intrusion phenomena in groundwater recharge sources. From July 2018 to December 2019, the south intrusion and north retreat rates were approximately 213.3 m/a and 105.9 m/a, respectively. From August 2016 to December 2019, the seawater intrusion front on the Dawangdong profile generally retreated northward at approximately 27 m/a. The results of this study can provide a scientific basis for the utilization of groundwater in local production and life. Comparative analysis and mutual verification of multiple monitoring methods can provide basic ideas for constructing a multi-source monitoring system for seawater intrusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Connecting the Bohai Sea (BS) and Yellow Sea (YS), the Bohai Strait is vital in controlling physical‐biogeochemical conditions in the East Asian marginal seas. In August 2019, Typhoon Lekima moved northward inland into eastern China and caused drastic water exchange through the Bohai Strait. The specific variation and underlying dynamics involved were investigated with observations and high‐resolution numerical simulations. Volume transport featured an intense inflow followed by an intense outflow, with a fluctuation magnitude of 1.88 Sv, which was much greater than the seasonal‐interannual variations. The corresponding current patterns presented three phases: strait‐wide inflow, strait‐wide outflow, and outflow in the south and inflow in the north. The strait‐wide inflow was driven by strong east‐northeasterly winds through local Ekman dynamics. The strait‐wide outflow resulted from the dynamic adjustment of ocean currents accompanying the rapid weakening of easterly winds. The third current pattern was part of a large‐scale cyclonic circulation in the BS and North YS and was governed by different factors in the southern and northern straits. Further comparisons indicated that transport caused by winter storms and other typhoons in the year had opposite phase variations to that caused by Lekima. The underlying dynamics mainly involved local Ekman dynamics and/or remote wind forcing via the propagation of coastal trapped waves but could differ greatly from events. Finally, we found that to a large extent, geostrophic transport derived from the sea surface height difference across the Bohai Strait could be used as actual transport during synoptic weather events. Plain Language Summary: The Bohai Strait is the only passage connecting the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea. Water exchange through the Bohai Strait plays a vital role in influencing physical‐biogeochemical conditions in the East Asian marginal seas and thus the socioeconomic development of coastal countries. In August 2019, Typhoon Lekima moved northward inland into eastern China and caused drastic water exchange through the Bohai Strait, which was much stronger than the seasonal‐interannual variations. This is the first time that water exchange variation through the Bohai Strait and underlying dynamics caused by typhoons have been investigated in detail. In addition, the transport fluctuations and underlying dynamics caused by winter storms and other typhoons in the year were compared to provide a comprehensive understanding of this high‐interest research topic. A general conclusion was that during different synoptic weather events, the underlying dynamics mainly involved local Ekman dynamics and/or remote wind forcing via the propagation of coastal trapped waves but could differ significantly from events. Finally, we found that to a large extent, geostrophic transport derived from the sea surface height difference across the Bohai Strait could be used as actual transport during synoptic weather events. Key Points: Typhoon Lekima caused stronger water exchange through the Bohai Strait than winter‐spring storms and seasonal‐interannual variationsCurrent patterns in the Bohai Strait presented three phases controlled by different dynamicsGeostrophic transport derived from the sea level difference across the strait could be used as actual transport during synoptic events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive accumulation of big data, along with the development of a high-performance platform, bridge the gap between the previous inability to provide long-term time series and broad-scale coastal zone monitoring and risk warnings with remote sensing techniques. Based on 20 years of Landsat images from the Google Earth Engine platform, the time series land cover in the coastal zone of the Yangtze River Delta in China was classified. Then, a spatiotemporal clustering method based on grid segmentation was proposed to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution details of artificial surface expansion and the risks of cropland loss and ecological degradation caused by this. The results showed that significant changes have taken place in the quantitative structure and spatial morphology of coastal land use in the past 20 years. The artificial surface maintained a growth trend, increasing by 229%, while cropland decreased by 19%. Natural land showed a fluctuation pattern of "up→down→up". The spatiotemporal details of land use obtained through 1km grid segmentation and clustering analysis were more significant. The artificial surface mainly underwent a progressive spatial expansion along the central urban area and important transportation axes (types III and IV), with the most dramatic changes occurring from 2010 to 2013. Type III cropland loss was the most significant, falling from 75.02% in 2000 to 38.23% in 2020. At the same time, the change in type III water body corresponds to the newly increased area of reclamation, which has decreased by 17% in the past 20 years, indicating that the degradation of coastal natural wetlands was significant. This paper provided a comprehensive diagnosis of coastal land use change, which could help policy makers and implementers to propose more targeted and differentiated coastal development and protection policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land degradation and development (LDD) is one of the important ecological issues in coastal China. This study analyzed the temporal and spatial changes of the LDD process in coastal China from 1982 to 2015 using the LDD index constructed from normalized NDVI and GPP data. The study also quantitatively evaluated the relative contributions of climate and human factors to LDD and explored their impact on LDD. The study's findings indicate that coastal regions in China experienced a marked increase in land development during the study period, with 62.47% of the regions displaying a growth trend and only 7.03% exhibiting signs of land degradation. The impact of climate change on the change in LDD processes was limited, while human activities were the main driving force, with their impact becoming increasingly apparent over time. Human activities were the dominant contributor to the change in LDD in most regions, accounting for over 60% of the change. Fast urbanization led to a notable decrease in cropland, wetland, shrub, and grassland, with a substantial proportion of the affected cropland transformed into impervious surfaces, accounting for 91.31% of the total cropland conversion. These findings deepen our understanding of the LDD process and its driving factors in coastal China, providing valuable insights for developing effective policy interventions and implementing successful land restoration plans in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve the goal of urban carbon dioxide emission reduction, how to increase carbon sequestration has become a top priority. The biological sink is mainly divided into green carbon sink and blue carbon sink. Coastal cities have two kinds of carbon sinks. There, the study of carbon sinks in coastal cities is the primary choice to cope with climate change. Therefore, this study chooses coastal cities with primary industries including agriculture, fishery, and forestry as the study subjects. The LMDI (Log-Mean Divisia Index) method and multiple regression prediction models were used to explore the low-carbon countermeasures which increase urban net carbon sink from the perspective of influencing factors and future potential. The study found that the average output value of employees in the primary industry is the main driving factor, and the change in the purchasing power of unit carbon sinks and the change in the proportion of employees in the primary industry have inhibited the increase in net carbon sinks. Projections based on the primary industry's output and afforestation area as independent variables show an overall upward trend in net carbon sinks, reaching 15.70 million tons of net carbon sinks in 2060, offsetting 10–20% of total carbon emissions in the same year. Based on the calculation results, this paper puts forward some corresponding countermeasures to increase carbon sinks. This paper provides a theoretical reference for the low-carbon development of coastal cities in China, and the strategies can be also expanded to other cities with similar resources around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, the development of marine economy has been an important component of coastal cities' total economic growth in China. Whether the coastal cities had paid enough attention to the coordination of marine economic development and ecological environment protection in the process of marine development activities needed to be evaluated accordingly. An index evaluation system for the coordination between marine ecological environment protection and marine economic development in coastal cities of China was established in this work by using the analytic hierarchy process. The statistical analysis results from 2006 to 2018 showed that much more attention had been paid on marine ecological environment protection since the year 2012 in China. The evaluated results showed that among all coastal provinces and cities, Shanghai and Shandong Provinces had the best coordination between marine economic development and marine ecological environment protection in the year 2016. Years of data showed that marine economic development and marine ecological environmental protection complement each other and promote each other. At the same time, the analysis results of this indicator evaluation system showed that marine ecological environment protection in China should further strengthen the protection by preventing and controlling marine pollution and carrying out ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2012, China announced its national strategy of building marine power. With the booming of marine development activity, the demand for marine surveying and mapping has increased sharply. However, education for the discipline lagged far behind the growth in demand. For a long time, education in the marine surveying and mapping discipline has faced two problems. First, the education content is mainly for military purposes, and there is little content about civilian use. Second, the education content is outdated and is far from the frontier science and engineering practice. To address these problems, Shandong University of Science and Technology has been working on the education reformation of the marine surveying and mapping discipline for more than a decade. By cooperating with our education partners from the military college, the universities, and the enterprises in maritime industries, we deeply analyzed the booming need in the marine survey and mapping field, and clarified the connotation and characteristics of the discipline in the new era. The discipline roots in the geodesy discipline, but is also deeply connected with oceanography, electromagnetics, and underwater acoustic. Moreover, it serves the national marine strategy and coastal economic development. Thus, it is an interdisciplinary emphasizing practicality and innovation. To this end, under the framework of military-civilian cooperation and industry-education integration, we establish an education alliance with participants from marine institutes, universities, industries, and users. Based on the close collaboration within the alliance, we built a new education model for undergraduate students in the marine surveying and mapping discipline. During the last decade, more than 3000 undergraduate students have been educated to fill the needs of employers relative to the marine economy. Moreover, more than 500 students obtained the qualifications as international hydrographic surveyors and cartographers, and they make worthwhile contributions to the national marine strategy and marine economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essential objective of China's outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) is to expand international trade and access to overseas markets to garner resources and improve transportation routes. This study identifies the determinants of China's OFDI activities in the short and long term, focusing on 138 countries that are part of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It is the first study to evaluate the system's contribution of location determinants, including the four factors of economy, logistics, energy, and politics, to China's OFDI by employing a vector error correction model with panel data from 2007 to 2019. In addition, we compare the influence of the variables in coastal and landlocked countries. Panel Granger causality and impulse response tests, variance decomposition, and forecast analysis were conducted to analyze and forecast China' OFDI. The results show that China's OFDI in both coastal and landlocked countries is statistically sensitive to the variables of economy, energy, logistics, and politics in host countries engaged in the BRI. It also shows that improving logistics infrastructure and the political investment environment in landlocked countries, this can positively attract China's OFDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the economy, the land use/cover change (LUCC) in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) has undergone tremendous changes, which have had directly negative effects on ecosystem functions and services. The development of sustainable land use strategies to quantitatively evaluate ecosystem services is required. Based on multitemporal land use data (2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020), the equivalent coefficients table method was used to assess the ecosystem service values (ESVs), and the impact of LUCC on ecosystem services was analyzed. A future land use simulation (FLUS) model and multiscenario simulations were employed to predict land use change in 2030. Our results indicated that the loss of ESVs decreased by 14.29 billion yuan from 2005 to 2020. The spatial distribution of the high-value ecosystem services was concentrated around the peripheral area of the northern regions in the GBA, and those areas had less land use development and human activity. Compared with those in 2020, the total ESVs of the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, socioeconomic development (SED) scenario, and cultivated protection priority (CPP) scenario in 2030 decreased, while they increased in the ecological protection priority (EPP) scenario. In the CPP scenario, regulating, supporting, provisioning, and cultural services increased slightly, but they decreased in the other scenarios. The patterns of LUCC were the main reasons for the decrease in ESVs, such as the loss of land with high ecological value. Additionally, a four-quadrant analysis is introduced to determine which land use simulation will be expected to be adopted by the government. The findings of this study provide valuable information for decision-making and policy development in the coastal zones and for the sustainable management of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tourism Tribune / Lvyou Xuekan is the property of Tourism Institute of Beijing Union University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Water resources are indispensable to human society. High-quality development (HQD) is a multi-faceted, demanding, and sustainable pattern. High-quality development level (HQDL) is an indicator of regional development. Its quantitative calculation is helpful to intuitively understand the current regional development situation, and helps departments make timely adjustments. Spatial equilibrium degree (SED) reflects the development balance among regions. Understanding spatial equilibrium can clarify regional development differences, promote the sharing of successful experiences, and then achieve common progress. Considering the current development and utilization situation of China's water resources, this study established an improved evaluation index system for HQDL, under water resources constraints. Then, we applied the proposed "single index quantification and multiple index synthesis and poly-criteria integration (SMI-P)" method to quantitatively evaluate the HQDL of China's 31 provincial-level administrative regions (PLARs), from 2010 to 2019. Finally, the calculation method of SED was employed to assess the SED of indicators and HQD in Mainland China. Results show that: (1) the HQDL of 31 PLARs showed a steady upward trend from 2010 to 2019. There were decrease tendencies from the coast to inland, and southeast to northwest in terms of spatial distribution, which shows that China's HQD has achieved remarkable results in the past 10 years, and the development of coastal areas is better; (2) The SED of HQD displayed a slow upward trend, and it has remained relatively stable after 2015, indicating that the spatial difference of HQD continued to shrink before 2015 and was relatively stable after that; (3) Water resource constraints played a significant role in well-developed areas, while the economic and social level was still the main constraint in medium and poor level areas. In addition, the spatiotemporal variation of HQDL, SED of HQD and indicators, and constraint effects of water resources on regional HQD, were fully discussed. Our findings not only provide new ideas for future research on HQD, but also possess great significance to China's HQD in the new era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Port reclamation is an important approach to acquiring the land resources needed to develop the coastal economy and international trade. This research conducted an integrated assessment of territorial spatial suitability for port reclamation, which considered both the resource and environmental carrying capacity and ecological protection restrictive factor. The results show that the port reclamation area in China is 995.85 km2, accounting for 13.50% of the total reclamation area from 2000 to 2020, and the main reclamation area is located in the Bohai Sea and the coastal area of Jiangsu Province. The reclamation area in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea from 2000 to 2020 is 523.30, 208.95, 190.18, 73.42 km2. The resource and environmental carrying capacity of land and sea areas around ports have different characteristics. The resource and environmental carrying capacity of national coastal ports show a general characteristic of decreasing from land to sea, but in localized areas controlled by ecologically sensitive factors such as nature reserves, the near-shore resource and environmental carrying capacity is also lower. The territorial spatial suitability of coastal port planning was evaluated, and it was found that the suitability of port reclamation in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Guangdong was higher. Based on the results of this study, the sustainable development model of port reclamation, ecological restoration of port reclamation areas, and spatial planning policy recommendations are proposed. • Port reclamation is an important reclamation type. • Spatial suitability index systems for port reclamation were proposed. • Territorial spatial suitability of port reclamation was assessed. • The research has crucial implication for coastal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for economic development in the coastal zone is exerting greater pressure on the eco-environment in this region. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct comprehensive research on the sustainable development of the eco-environment in coastal areas. Grounded in sustainable development theory and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), this study assessed sustainable development of Jiaozhou Bay (JZB), China over the period from 2015 to 2019 under multiple pressures applying the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework. Subsequently, a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis was employed to propose specific countermeasures and recommendations. In terms of weight within the criterion layer, Response (R) and Pressure (P) were assigned higher weights. The comprehensive assessment value Z in the target layer indicated a slight decrease in 2016 followed by a gradual increase that eventually led to stabilization. The comprehensive assessment values of the indicators varied depending on different conditions, implying that higher values would contribute to sustainable development of the eco-environment. Based on a SWOT analysis, strategies for Qingdao were derived from a combination of research findings and future development policy. These strategies include preventing and controlling land and sea pollution, governing reclamation activities, optimizing industrial structure, and strengthening public opinion guidance. This study highlights the application of quantitative and qualitative analysis methods in ICZM, providing specific recommendations based on policy analysis for achieving sustainable development in JZB's eco-environment under multiple pressures. • The sustainable development of the eco-environment in Jiaozhou Bay is investigated. • This study integrates quantitative and qualitative methodologies. • The indicators of human involvement carry significant weight within the system. • The government's focus aids Jiaozhou Bay's eco-environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal zones, and in particular offshore areas, are coming under ever-increasing pressure from human development. Therefore, the evaluation of habitat quality is of vital importance for management of coastal zones. The InVEST model adopts a multi-module and multi-level design form, which has the advantages of strong visualization and fast calculation. As a result, this study used the InVEST-Habitat quality (HQ) model to assess the habitat quality of the Tongzhou Bay offshore area. Development activities were included in the classification of habitat types and the benthic habitat suitability index was used to describe the spatial variation in habitat quality of the offshore area. The results showed that the methodological approach mentioned above achieved a more detailed assessment of the spatial variation in habitat quality. The empirical model constructed based on the relationship between the Shannon–Weiner index and environmental factors performed well in revealing the suitability of habitat, with the regression equation showing an R2 of 0.57 and R2 of 0.5 significant at level of p < 0.05. The habitat suitability of Tongzhou Bay water was mainly influenced by aquaculture and industrial sea use. The habitat quality of Tongzhou Bay was relatively low due to disturbance by coastal development and a low water habitat suitability. The distribution of habitat quality in Tongzhou Bay was uneven and improved with the increase of the distance from the coast. Improvement of the habitat quality of Tongzhou Bay requires strict control of sea reclamation, optimization of the structure of offshore aquaculture, improvements to water quality and habitat suitability, and strengthening of the protection of areas of high habitat quality. This study provides a novel method for evaluating habitat quality of offshore areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of coastal protection increases with the increase in coastal development. Soft and hard protection measures are the most used techniques; however, hard structures are still preferable. Hard structures are characterized by a long lifetime and high stability in rough sea states. Many innovative, environmentally friendly hard coastal protections measured have been proposed and used for specific applications. This research's main objective is to develop and check a new coastal structure, Corrugated Semi-circular Breakwater (CBW). This structure is modified from the Semi-circular Breakwater (SCBW), one of the hard protections used in Japan and China, to increase its efficiency in coastal protection and electricity generation. A comparative study between CBW and SCBW is carried out physically in a two dimensions wide wave flume with dimensions 1.2*1.2*40 m and numerically using the Flow-3D model. The study checked the effect of the structures in merged, semi-merged, and submerged conditions and increased structure permeability. The reflection, transmission, and dissipation coefficients are used as the efficiency indicators. The results show that CBW is more efficient in wave dissipation, current velocity reductions, and bed stability than SCBW. It is recommended to use the CBW as a submerged protected structure within the recreational coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid economic development in coastal areas has gradually increased the risk of coastal water quality deterioration. The assessment methods of coastal water quality are multifarious, but many depend on either subjective judgment or objective calculation. We proposed a weighted sum methodology by integrating the subjective analytic hierarchy process and objective entropy theory (AHP-entropy weight methodology) to obtain an overall evaluation of coastal water quality. The mathematical models to transform the biochemical and physical parameter values and soluble substance concentrations into index scores have been formulated in comparison to the national water quality classification scheme. The application of the AHP-entropy weight methodology was demonstrated in the nearshore area of Yangjiang city, China, based on 23 seawater sampling stations in autumn 2017 and spring 2018. Datasets including biochemical and physical parameters, nutrients, and heavy metals have been converted into water quality index scores based on the proposed mathematical model. Results revealed that the overall water quality fell into the "good" class in both sampling seasons. The spatial distribution of the water quality index scores demonstrated that the relatively worse water quality occurred in estuarine and nearshore areas, signifying the negative effect of coastal anthropogenic activities. The statistical analyses like the hierarchical cluster analysis interpreted that the river input acted as a main source of pollutants in the study area. The AHP-entropy weight methodology could be a preferred way to assist decision-makers in properly evaluating the current state of coastal water quality in an unbiased, objective manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oceans are crucial to human civilization. They provide core support for exploitation and utilization of marine space, resources, and energy. Thus, marine infrastructures are vital to a nation's economic sustainable development. To this end, this article first describes the main challenges in current ocean utilization, and then reviews the China's ocean engineering progress. As such, six major sectors are evaluated: 1) global climate change and marine environment, 2) comprehensive utilization of marine space, 3) marine transportation infrastructure interconnection, 4) ocean clean energy development and maricultural facilities, 5) ecological crisis and marine engineering countermeasures, and 6) marine infrastructure operation safety and maintenance. Finally, perspectives on future directions of ocean utilization and marine infrastructure construction in China are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-source nutrient inputs into coastal areas have increased remarkably in recent decades. To investigate whether the rapid development of the coastal areas in Beibu Gulf, a newly developing industry and port in South China, has accelerated the eutrophication of seawater in the coastal gulf, the nutrients and other physicochemical parameters were measured in the Beibu Gulf. The results showed that the lowest salinity was observed in the Maowei Sea and Qinzhou Bay during both wet and dry seasons, suggested that the significant influence of land-based fresh water in these areas. Higher nutrient concentrations occurred in the wet season, whereas lower concentrations occurred in the dry season. High nutrient concentrations were observed in the coastal bay along the coast of Guangxi Province, and the concentration in the northeastern part was higher than that in the northwestern part. The heavy land-source discharge during the wet season was responsible for the high nutrient load in the coastal bay during that season. In addition to the terrestrial inputs, strong decomposition may have partly contributed to the high nutrient load in the Maowei Sea and Qinzhou Bay. However, high Chl-a levels occurred in Qinzhou Bay, the offshore area of the Dafeng River Estuary and Tieshan Bay, indicating that excessive consumption by phytoplankton may have been responsible for the low PO43– concentration in those areas. Generally, of the areas, the Maowei Sea and Qinzhou Bay experienced the highest eutrophication levels, which were at moderate eutrophication levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While land reclaimed from the sea meets the land demand for coastal development, it simultaneously causes socio-economic systems to be prone to coastal flooding induced by storm surges and sea-level rise. Current studies have seldom linked reclamation with coastal flood impact assessment, hindering the provision of accurate information to support coastal flood risk management and adaptation. This study, using Xiamen, China as a case study, incorporates the spatiotemporal dynamics of reclamation into a coastal flood impact model, in order to investigate the long-term influence of reclamation activities on coastal flood inundation and the consequent exposure of the population to coastal flooding. We find that rapid population growth, continual economic development and urbanization drive a substantial logarithmic increase in coastal reclamation. Historical and future expansions of seaward land reclamation are found to cause dramatic surges in the expected annual inundation (EAI) and the expected annual population (EAP) exposed to coastal flooding. In Xiamen, EAI is estimated to increase by 440.2% from 1947 to 2035, owing to continuing land reclamation. Consequently, the population living in the flooded area has also increased sharply: the EAP of total population is estimated to rise from 0.8% in 1947 to 4.7% in 2035, where reclamation contributes over 80% of this increase. Moreover, a future 10 cm sea-level rise in 2035 will lead to extra 5.73% and 8.15% increases in EAI and EAP, respectively, and is expected to cause massive permanent submersion in the new reclamation zone. Our findings emphasize an integration of hard structures and nature-based solutions for building resilient coasts. n [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the exponential population growth and remarkable socio-economic advancements, coastal areas face increasingly complex challenges in eco-environmental management due to anthropogenic pressures. With the current emphasis on high-quality economic development, there is an urgent need to establish and evaluate a comprehensive indicator system to ensure the sustainable development of the coastal eco-environment and to meet evolving management demands. Research on the coordinated development level of coastal eco-environmental complex system, based on the concept of land-sea coordination, plays a pivotal role in promoting the resolution of eco-environmental issues in coastal areas, achieving sustainable socio-economic development in these regions. In this study, we construct an indicator system for the eco-environmental complex system in Jiaozhou Bay (JZB) coastal zone, China, comprising six sub-systems and thirty indicators. The comprehensive development level and coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) are employed in this study to analyze the indicator system in 1980–2020, aiming to elucidate the processes involved in the improvements in this complex system. The findings indicate: (i) the system's comprehensive development level evaluation and coupling coordination degree (CCD) exhibit a two-stage pattern: a declining trend in 1980–2005, followed by a rising trend in 2005–2020. (ii) despite improvements, the comprehensive development level and the CCD of the system in 2020 still hold potential for further enhancement compared to 1980; and (iii) policymaking and changes in anthropogenic pressures in coastal areas are the primary factors influencing the performance of the system. In the future, policymaking can reduce anthropogenic pressures on the coastal eco-environment, improve the comprehensive development level and CCD of the complex system, and encourage a commitment to sustainable development. • A coastal eco-environmental complex system was set in the coastal zone. • Long-term data was collected to evaluate the development level and coupling coordination relationship in complex system. • The performance of the system has undergone an initial decline followed by a gradual improvement. • The future enhancement of the system will be driven by effective policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Large-scale disordered coastal aquaculture development causes severe environmental problems. However, quantitative assessments of spatiotemporal dynamics and driving factors for coastal aquaculture are essential and urgent for coastal aquaculture sustainability.Outcomes:Using remote sensing products and geographic information science, we investigated the long-term landscape changes due to coastal aquaculture, and explored its underlying driving factors in the Ningde coastal region, Southeastern China. Results show that coastal aquaculture area increased from 90.65 km2 in 2003 to 96.08 km2 in 2016, and its structure underwent tremendous changes. The area of artificial shrimp ponds increased by 496.15% and the area of farmland ponds decreased by 25.81% between 2003 and 2016. In addition, we revealed that from 2003 to 2016, the change trends of the coastal aquaculture area and the entire Ningde coastal region were consistent, and became more fragmented and dispersive. Furthermore, regression results indicate that the growth and attenuation of coastal aquaculture areas were significantly affected by the initial coastal aquaculture area in 2003. Discussion and Conclusion:To sustainably manage the coastal ecosystems, we provide several recommendations (e.g., a coupled human and natural systems approach to understanding human-nature interactions, integrated assessment, and systematical spatial planning and monitoring) for future research and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal area of China has faced major strategic planning and environmental pollution, including heavy metals pollution. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of Cd pollution on the ecology in coastal areas of China. A soil Cd pollution database of 300 counties or districts in coastal areas was screened from academic dissertations and academic journal papers. Based on the database, the ecological risk was evaluated using entropy methods and probabilistic ecological risk assessment (PERA), and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods were analyzed. In China's coastal areas, the soil Cd content in 10.33% of the counties was higher than the minimum of risk control value (1.5 mg/kg), and in 4.00% of the counties was higher than the maximum of risk control value (4.0 mg/kg). The ecological risks were highly compatible with national strategic planning areas. Guangxi Province, Zhejiang Province, and Guangdong Province ranked among the top three coastal areas for soil Cd contamination, and the ecological risks were 18.80%, 17.89%, and 15.77% at the maximum no-effect concentration/lowest effect concentration (NOEC/LOEC) level. This study can provide insights to policymakers regarding the protection of ecosystems threatened by heavy metals in the process of regional strategic planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large amounts of silt have been deposited on the seabed in China's coastal areas due to intensive coastal development and marine raft aquaculture, which are the main causes of local marine environmental disasters. In this study, seabed silt was tested as a potential raw material for artificial reefs. The silt was mixed with cement in four proportions to create concrete specimens for use in silt artificial reefs (SARs). The compressive strength development and nutrient dissolution were examined in the SAR specimens. The hydration products of the SAR paste were investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning election microscope (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. The results showed that the compression strength of the SAR specimens was inversely proportional to their seabed silt content. The SAR specimens were able to continuously dissolve nitrogen-containing nutrients. The presence of Ca(OH)2, commonly found in traditional concrete, was not detected, which may help improve the seaweed adhesion and biological effects of artificial reefs. The effective utilization of seabed silt could serve to restore and improve the marine ecological environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of financial development in enhancing water resources and its utilization is imperative for attaining the country's sustainable development. This paper used different stages of financial development indices and their resulting impact on water resource utilization in order to examine the threshold effect in China by using panel data from 2004 to 2015. This study put forward the threshold effect hypothesis by establishing a general equilibrium model. Further, the study employed the panel threshold model and panel fixed effect model to test the above hypothesis empirically. The results show that the single threshold effect exists in the relationship between financial development and water resource utilization. The impact of financial development on water resource utilization is not a simple linear relationship. When the growth rate of financial development is lower than the threshold value, there is a certain "threshold effect". Spatial heterogeneity affects the relationship between financial development and water resource utilization. Finally, the study found financial development in coastal areas with abundant water resources is relatively higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mid-2000s, China has been transforming its industrial structure from a world sweatshop to a global manufacturing center. Many foreign small- and medium-sized factories that were engines of development in coastal China for the past two decades have recently been phased out due to the changing nature of macroeconomic policy, the labor market, and local interests. Unlike macroeconomic policy and the labor market, the subject of changing local interests has not been extensively investigated. This article explores an unclear political-economic logic and demonstrates the key counter-actions of the factories—legal liquidation, moving inland or to other countries, and illegal flight by night—in response to "phasing out" pressure from local politics. The micro-level struggles between foreign factories and local interests are indirectly conducive to China's macro-level industrial transformation. This pattern will likely be repeated in China's less-developed regions and other rapidly developing countries in the near future. This study is based on empirical data from fieldwork, primarily in Shandong province, from 2008 to 2016 as well as archival data from China, Korea, and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ma, D.-Y., 2020. Legal guarantee system for the development and utilization of the coastal marine environment. In: Gong, D.; Zhang, M., and Liu, R. (eds.), Advances in Coastal Research: Engineering, Industry, Economy, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 106, pp. 229–232. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The development and utilization of the coastal marine environment have caused serious pollution to the marine environment while bringing great wealth to human kind. This study takes the perspective of the legal prevention and control of coastal marine environmental pollution and studies the legal guarantee system for the development and utilization of the coastal marine environment. For this, the article analyses the important role of the development and utilization of the coastal marine environment in the national economy and the increasingly severe pollution of the coastal marine environment. The study found that insufficiencies in legal basis, enforcement coordination, and judicial relief are the main problems in the legal guarantee system of China's coastal marine environmental pollution; the discontinuous legislative system, imperfect enforcement system, and professional trials in a new and inexperienced court system are the main causes of these problems. Finally, the study suggests three countermeasures: improving the legislative system, innovating cooperative mechanisms, and strengthening judicial protection. The research findings enrich the research on the legal theoretical system for the development and utilization of the coastal marine environment and have certain theoretical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluate the policy effect of the Belt and Road strategy on the economic development of coastal cities and the development of the port and city objectively is a great significance to its implement and improvement as well as the coordinated development of the regional economy and the port-city. We first quantify the port location quotient, radiation intensity and port-city synergy of the eight coastal node regions in China, in order to represent the development level of ports in the node area. On this basis, we use the DID model to evaluate the comprehensive policy effects of the "Belt and Road" strategy on the economic development and the development of the port-city in coastal areas. In order to overcome the problems of endogeneity and common trend assumptions, we further use the PSM-DID method to test the robustness of the DID model conclusions, and eliminate the influence of other factors to observe the net effect of the "Belt and Road". It is found that urbanization construction is currently a short-board for coastal areas to achieve rapid development with the opportunity of the "Belt and Road"; Although the "Belt and Road" strategy has played a significant role in promoting the economic development of coastal nodes, after eliminating other factors such as common trends and shocks, the net impact of the "Belt and Road" strategy on the economic development of coastal nodes is negative. The coordinated development of ports and port-cities in coastal node areas lags behind non-node areas both in terms of comprehensive impact and in the absence of other influences. Therefore, coastal node regions should be guided by the scientific development concept. Improve the port cooperation system, increase the sense of competition among port enterprises, expand the scope of port radiation, accelerate the construction of port information, and enhance the support role of the port for new urbanization. At the same time, the new urbanization development and port logistics development should be jointly planned. Actively adjust port and city development to adapt and better participate in the "Belt and Road" strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tourism industry and ecological environment are two major material systems that are mutually inductive and restrictive. For the sustainable development of coastal cities, a correct understanding of the sensitive relationship between the two systems is of great significance. The present study took the coastal city of Sanya in China as an example, and data from the period 2008-2017 was used to construct a tourism industry-ecological environment coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) of Sanya. The results showed that the coupling coordination degree exhibited an increasing trend over time, improving from minimal coordination to favorable coordination; furthermore, the economic efficiency and environmental protection subsystems made the greatest contributions to the tourism-environment coupling system. In addition, the results demonstrated that the combination of the CCDM and information entropy weight (IEW) is an effective approach to evaluating the sensitivity between systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical coral skeleton (CS) δ18O and δ15N records were produced from samples recovered from sedimentary deposits, held in natural history museum collections, and cored into modern coral heads. These records were used to assess the influence of global warming and regional eutrophication, respectively, on the decline of coastal coral communities following the development of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) megacity, China. We find that, until 2007, ocean warming was not a major threat to coral communities in the Pearl River estuary; instead, nitrogen (N) inputs dominated impacts. The high but stable CS‐δ15N values (9‰–12‰ vs. air) observed from the mid‐Holocene until 1980 indicate that soil and stream denitrification reduced and modulated the hydrologic inputs of N, blunting the rise in coastal N sources during the early phase of the Pearl River estuary urbanization. However, an unprecedented CS‐δ15N peak was observed from 1987 to 1993 (>13‰ vs. air), concomitant to an increase of NH4+ concentration, consistent with the rapid Pearl River estuary urbanization as the main cause for this eutrophication event. We suggest that widespread discharge of domestic sewage entered directly into the estuary, preventing removal by natural denitrification hotspots. We argue that this event caused the dramatic decline of the Pearl River estuary coral communities reported from 1980 to 2000. Subsequently, the coral record shows that the implementation of improved wastewater management policies succeeded in bringing down both CS‐δ15N and NH4+ concentrations in the early 2000s. This study points to the potential importance of eutrophication over ocean warming in coral decline along urbanized coastlines and in particular in the vicinity of megacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of coastal urban agglomerations in China has gained global attention since the 1980s. Recently, several regions in the Central China have also experienced rapid economic development. The objectives of this paper are to explore whether the spatial pattern of urban growth in Central China's urban agglomerations is the same as those costal ones and whether it is driven by anything other than external forces. Using the Changzhutan region as an example, this study analyses the economic transformation and spatial restructuring of the populations in urban agglomerations in Central China and explores the driving factors of urban growth using regression models. We find that most of the population is concentrated in prefecture‐level city districts and county seats, which is markedly different from the large‐scale regional population agglomerations found in the coastal urban agglomerations. Domestic investment, instead of foreign investment, and human capital, has become important factors driving the population migration. This finding sharply contrasts with the pattern found in coastal urban agglomerations, where regional concentrations of the population and economic activities are primarily driven by labour‐intensive and global economies. This case study may serve as a basis for future urban planning and management in Central China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coastline is an ecologically sensitive area at the land–water interface. Coastline change has an important impact on regional ecology, economy, and society. China has a long coastline and its coastal zone is among the fastest developing regions in the world. An effective understanding of Chinese coastline changes can aid sustainable development in China and surrounding areas. In this paper, we reviewed the literature of coastline changes in China through the end of 2018. Through literature analysis, the coastline change research in China can be divided into three stages: a start-up stage, an exploration period, and a developmental period. Ancient maps, traditional actual trace measurements, ancient sea level markers, remote-sensing images, and Light Detection and Ranging technology are the main data sources of coastline research. From the research content, the coastline change literature in China mainly focuses on the analysis of space–time changes and coastline driving forces. There is also limited literature on coastline change prediction, which mainly refers to the shape and location of coastline change. The next stage, the relationship between coastline change and the environment, is the focus of future research. This study provides a relatively comprehensive review of coastline changes in China that may have a certain significance for the study of these changes in China and perhaps the world. It can serve as a basis for developing scientific and reasonable policies for sustainable development in coastal zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sandy beaches, prime recreational assets that attract more people than other types of shorelines, are the main assets underpinning many coastal economies and developments. However, the intense stressors to the ecology of sandy beaches caused by recreational activities are generally underestimated or ignored. This study was the first to emphasize the ecological characteristics of recreational beaches in China and assess the response of macrobenthos at Liandao Beach, a typical sandy beach in the central part of China. Using the Before/During/After/Control/Impact (BDACI) method, differences in multiple variables (species richness, mean density, diversity) between a heavily recreationally impacted transect (TrH/Impact) and a less‐impacted transect (TrL/Control) in different impact periods (Before, During & After) were applied to assess the response of sandy‐beach macrobenthos to recreation and tourism. Meanwhile, a comparison between the macrobenthos conditions of the studied beach and reference conditions calculating from historical data of similar beaches with little recreation and tourism disturbances was carried out. Furthermore, the quality control chart approach was used to detect in detail the macrobenthos stable state and yearly response to recreational activities. The results showed that recreation and tourism posed a serious threat to the beach ecosystem; macrobenthos on the studied beach were seriously disturbed by recreational activities, and their variations were highly negatively related to the human recreational level. After monthly recreational impacts, the macrobenthos decreased sharply and recovered with difficulty during 1 year. Over the long‐term, the macrobenthos had a sharp decreasing trend, which indicated that the ecological environment of the beach was highly disturbed. Conservation measures for recreational beaches are very challenging because of the economic value and popularity of sandy beaches as recreational sites. However, practicable conservation measures could be implemented that prevent or slow ecological degradation. A number of management and conservation suggestions are put forward, such as the establishment of the ecological carrying capacity of Liandao Beach in terms of direct recreational use, creation of themed exhibitions related to the beach macrobenthos and beach ecosystem and dissemination of this knowledge to visitors, implementation of spatial zoning of beach use, visitor management and environmental education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Rapid anthropogenic warming coupled with changes in land use is altering the distributions of species, with consequences for ecosystem functioning and services. It is crucial to evaluate species range shifts based on understanding of the interaction of temperature with non‐climatic factors such as habitat availability and dispersal potential. Here, we aim to investigate roles of environmental temperature, habitat availability and population connectivity on the distributions of hard‐shore intertidal animals. We further examine potential roles of extensive artificial seawall construction in enabling poleward expansion of species in China, thus reshaping coastal biogeography. Location: Chinese coast. Time period: 2013–2017. Major taxa studied: Intertidal invertebrates. Methods: We took an integrative approach encompassing distributional ecology, thermal physiology, molecular genetics, heat budget modelling and larval dispersal to elucidate how interacting multiple drivers, including temperature, habitat availability and larval dispersal, determine distributions of hard‐shore invertebrates, focusing on what sets their range edges at a boundary between biogeographic provinces. Results: Our results untangle the complex interactions of global climate change with the impacts of regional scale coastal development. Temperature, larval transport and habitat availability are the major proximate factors controlling the range limits of coastal marine species. The artificial shorelines provide suitable habitats for hard‐shore species on the Yangtze River Delta, and minimum temperature in winter is an important factor setting the new northern range limit of these hard‐shore species along the Chinese coast. Main conclusions: In the face of global warming and global sprawl of marine hard infrastructure, species distributions, community structures and biogeographic patterns are experiencing dramatic changes. The combined influence of multiple human stressors including climate change and artificial shorelines can be evaluated by using a multidisciplinary framework, including ecological distribution, physiological sensitivity of species to these stressors, and the role of dispersal in maintaining population connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine spatial planning (MSP) represents a critical tool for the worldwide design of coastal development and protection strategies. China, as one of the pioneers in establishing comprehensive MSP policies, has created a well-developed marine planning structure—known as the "multi-rule-in-one"—with Marine Functional Zoning (MFZ) serving as a cornerstone for the country's coastal economic and environmental development. Despite its significance, limited studies have presented the practical application of MSP/MFZ policies upon tourism exploitation in coastal regions. This paper fills this research gap by thoroughly examining China's marine planning structure, the implementation of provincial MFZ policy, and the operational mechanisms of these strategies. The analysis focuses on the Xiasha Beach Resort, a case study exemplifying the coordinated efforts required among governments, scientists, and the public for the successful implementation of MFZ policy. Findings from the Xiasha Beach Resort highlight the importance of robust tourist market management, a shift from hard seawall structures towards more eco-friendly alternatives, and a high degree of collaboration among key stakeholders. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of ecosystem-based restoration technology that maintains the integrity of the beach-dune system, fosters diverse vegetation, and encourages adaptive measures such as environmental capacity control. The sustainability of the MSP approach hinges on wide and diverse public participation, as national MSP policies foster trust, credit, and feedback from local citizens, promoting necessary policy adjustments. In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights for domestic and international regions seeking to harmonize MSP operations to achieve high-quality coastal economic development and environmental protection targets. • Successful implementation of marine functional zoning policy in coastal tourism exploitation. • Collaborative efforts of governments, scientists, and the public for effective marine spatial planning. • Ecosystem-based restoration technologies for coastal planning are applied in Xiasha Beach Resort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sustainable economy through the rational spatial expansion of coastal areas is an increasingly essential global topic. This paper aims to explore the mechanism by which supporting cities influence the spatial expansion of economic development zones (EDZs) in 264 coastal EDZs of China during 1995–2020. Meanwhile, the effects of variations in the distance between supporting cities and coastal EDZs and different city scales are considered. The results provide new explanations for realizing the sustainable development of the coastal economy by planning EDZs at a suitable location from the supporting city. The supporting cities' economic strength can significantly contribute to the spatial expansion of coastal EDZs. The influence shows a distance decay law when the distance is less than 47.692 km, between 47.692 and 58.039 km, and greater than 58.039 km, with impact coefficients of 0.479, 0.393, and 0.212, respectively. The average spatial scale of coastal EDZs varies in an "inverted U–shape" with increasing distance. The average spatial scale of the urban general radiation type (47.692 km ≤ distance <58.039 km) is the largest. Supporting cities' scale affects the economic radiation range of supporting cities. The results suggest three implications for the future development of coastal EDZs. 1) Building the EDZ while incorporating practical development needs; 2) Scientifically planning the spatial layout of EDZs; 3) The synergistic development of supporting cities, transportation hubs, and EDZs. [Display omitted] • Supporting cities can promote coastal economic development zones' expansion. • The contribution of supporting cities to zone expansion shows a distance decay law. • The average spatial scale of coastal zones shows an "inverted U-shaped" change. • Supporting cities scale affects the economic radiation range by supporting cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves sequester and store large area-specific quantities of blue carbon (C) and essential nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P). Quantifying C and nutrient burial rates in mangroves across a centennial time span and relating these rates to mangrove habitat is fundamental for elucidating the role of mangroves in carbon and nutrient budgets and their responses to environmental changes. However, relevant data are very limited in China. In this study, we used the radionuclides (210Pb and 137Cs) to determine chronologies and C, N and P burial rates in two mangrove forests located at different geomorphologic settings in NE Hainan Island, China. We found that the temporal patterns of C, N and P burial rates since 1900 fitted a quadratic function with a notable increase after 1960s in both mangroves, which coincided with the rapid development of coastal aquaculture since 1960s in NE Hainan and the subsequent coastal water eutrophication in this area. Sediment accretion rate (SAR) and mass accumulation rate (MAR) stayed relatively steady in the open-coastal mangroves, while they increased exponentially in the estuarine mangroves since 1900. The estuarine mangroves had significantly higher SAR and C, N and P burial rates than the open-coastal mangroves. C, N and P burial rates averaged at 141.52 g m−2 a−1, 6.27 g m−2 a−1 and 1.14 g m−2 a−1, respectively in the estuarine core, and these rates averaged at 61.71 g m−2 a−1, 3.71 g m−2 a−1 and 0.43 g m−2 a−1, respectively in the open-coastal core. The results suggest that estuarine mangroves may be more capable of surviving accelerating sea level rise under climate change and play a greater role in C accumulation and nutrient filtering under anthropogenic nutrient enrichment than marine-dominated mangroves. Blue C burial may be enhanced by coastal water eutrophication, but such a relationship needs to be tested in further studies. • The study is among the first to report C, N and P burial rates in mangroves of Hainan, China. • C, N and P burial rates fitted a quadratic function since 1900 with a notable increase after 1960. • Increasing C, N and P burial coincided with coastal aquaculture expansion and eutrophication. • Sedimentation and C, N and P burial rates were higher in estuarine than open-coastal mangroves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection and designation of ocean dumping areas is an essential aspect of marine dumping management in China. The oversight of marine dumping was incorporated into the Ministry of Ecology and Environment following the institutional reforms in 2018, as part of the integration process with the State Oceanic Administration. In this context, the primary concern in selecting and designating ocean dumping areas is to facilitate the transition from a "project-oriented" to a "capacity-oriented" approach, while ensuring ecological protection and promoting economic and social development in coastal regions. This study presents a comparative analysis of the selection and designation process for the western ocean dumping area outside Daya Bay, highlighting both similarities and differences between current and historical approaches. Furthermore, recommendations for improving relevant legislation and regulations and facilitating public hearings are provided, thereby offering valuable insights for the selection and designation of ocean dumping areas guided by the new "capacity-oriented" approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal zone is typically highly developed and its ocean environment is vastly exposed to the onshore activities. Land-based pollution, as the "metabolite" of terrestrial human activities, significantly impacts the ocean environment. Although numerous studies have investigated these effects, few have quantified the interactions among land-human activity-ocean across both spatial and temporal scales. In this study, we have developed a land-human activity-ocean systemic framework integrating the coupling coordination degree model and tipping point to quantify the spatiotemporal dynamic interaction mechanism among the land-based pollution, human activities, and ocean environment in China from 2001 to 2020. Our findings revealed that the overall coupling coordination degree of the China's coastal zone increased by 36.9 % over last two decades. Furthermore, the effect of human activities on China's coastal environment remained within acceptable thresholds, as no universal tipping points for coastal pollution or ocean environment has been found over the 20-year period. Notably, the lag time for algal blooms, the key indicator of ocean environment health, was found to be 0-3 years in response to the land economic development and 0-4 years in response to land-based pollution. Based on the differences in spatiotemporal interactions among land-human activity-ocean system, we employed cluster analysis to categorize China's coastal provinces into four types and to develop appropriate management measures. Quantifying the interaction mechanism within the land-human activity-ocean system could aid decision-makers in creating sustainable coastal development strategies. This enables efficient use of land and ocean resources, supports coastal conservation and restoration efforts, and fosters effective management recommendations to enhance coastal sustainability and resilience., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)